To me, getting involved is vital to success in college. Coming to a university is not simply sitting in a classroom, studying for tests and obtaining a 4.0. There’s more to this experience. To truly get the “Bear Experience” personal growth needs to happen. In my opinion, this is something that cannot happen just in the classroom. This growth comes from putting yourself out there, meeting new people, and trying new things that you did not have exposure to in high school.
By getting involved, students are able to obtain a few different things. By joining organizations, it is easy to make connections. Whether that be during your time in college making new friends or using those connections to land a job after graduation, meeting new people leads to a better network for students. Through involvement, we as students also become more competent in dealing with diverse individuals, serving the community and learning valuable leadership skills.
As for how to get involved, I believe that if a student decides to join an organization, it is their duty to contribute to that group. Simply joining something just to say you’re in it or a part of it is not enough. The goal of these organizations is for us as students to learn and prosper simultaneously with the organization. It’s a mutual benefit relationship. With that, I do not believe that students should go join as many organizations just to look involved. Rather, we should find those things we are truly passionate about and put 100% effort into those areas to truly make a difference.
~Justin
Justin Roberts, a junior year with a double major in Philosophy and Organizational Communication, is from Frisco, Texas. He is the Family Orientation Coordinator for SOAR 2015, the first to hold this student position in the office. Throughout his time at Missouri State, he has been a SOAR Leader, involved in the Missouri State Disc Golf Club, Student Government Association, and a social fraternity where he served as the chapter president.